We want the habitat to be a natural place for us to explore and enjoy. We spend time there with our 5th grade friends from Mrs. Wilcox's class, and our garden buddies from Mrs. Stechschulte's class. Sometimes Mrs. Lupton structures "unstructured time" when we can choose to read, write, color, draw explore and/or observe.
The Dig was first discussed while we were in the habitat and of course, this is where The Dig takes place.
The Dig Mrs. Lupton and Mrs. Wilcox 5th grade Informal classes @ Barrington
A complex thinker... Identifies and defines authentic problems and essential questions *Essential question - How does change impact our world? There’s a compost pile in the habitat garden. What is a compost pile? Does anyone have a compost pile at home? What do you put into a compost pile? What do you do with the stuff? What does it mean to be “biodegradable”? What things are really biodegradable? Just natural things? How does this relate to garbage and landfills? What are we throwing away every day and what is that doing to our earth? Do we have to throw away so much stuff? Why doesn’t everyone recycle and try to help our Earth?
Collects, assesses and analyzes relevant information The Dig: Why are we going to do this? What are we hoping to discover? What do we need to document this process? Videographer, photographer, reporters, & diggers, and each time we will take turns. What are we going to bury? How often will we dig it up? When? Where will we dig? Should we have different locations in sun and shade? Predictions for October, November, again in the spring...will we see changes? What will we learn from changes and no changes? What makes a change? Does it have to be a big change to be important? What information will we get that helps us understand biodegradable and the effects on the environment? How are we going to predict and document our changes? Let’s find out more information about all of the items we buried. Does Barrington use these items? Do we use them at home? Small groups will research each item, we’ll share with each other, and then we will tell other people.
Proposes, explores and develops solutions Do we need to make any changes for the second dig? What did we do right/wrong during the first dig? Why do people and businesses use products that aren’t biodegradable? Why are we using styrofoam trays during lunch in the cafeteria? Is there a better solution? Why doesn’t Barrington buy a dishwasher and wash plates every day so we can use the same plates every day? Washing dishes - cost of machines, plates, and energy. Washing permanent dishes vs. about 138 styrofoam dishes each day, what would be less expensive and/or better for the environment? If we have to use the styrofoam in the cafeteria, can we reuse them in some way? What else can we do to recycle at Barrington? Let’s explore other recycling programs, like the Capri Sun program.
Makes judgments and decisions Why isn’t everyone going green? What are some reasons some people might not recycle? Why are green products so expensive? Sun Chips is going back to their original bags and only using biodegradable bags for their original flavor. The company has received too many complaints that the biodegradable bag is too noisy. Should we write the company and tell them to stay green? Should we tell everyone we know to write them too? Let’s show them the video on the Sun Chips website. Do we need to inform and educate people?
Reflects critically on learning experiences,processes and solutions. How can we make a difference? Where do we start at Barrington? How can we let people know that there are ways we can make changes that will help? How do we inform and educate the kids and parents at Barrington? Let’s involve Student Council so more kids can help.
We are now working on a keynote presentation to present to other Barrington students and maybe the parents. We will include videos and pictures from each of our digs.
In Science journals, the students are keeping a chart of their predictions and reflections. Quotes after The Dig: Ruby: We’re doing this to see how landfills fill up with so much trash, to see how bad trash is for our Earth. We’re doing something great for our Earth.” Dominic: “I felt like a scientist. I had to make a prediction. I had fun. I hope to see a change.” Claire: “I’m overall really excited to dig up all the trash we buried so we can see what happened. I hope everything is gone, because then we would have made dirt.” Hannah: “I think that most of the objects that we are putting in the ground will change by spring. Some of the stuff is biodegradable so I’m pretty sure it will disintegrate. I am excited to see what will happen to trash.” Vivi: I think all trash will change except for the grocery bag. I am excited to see what will happen next.” Dom: I thought what we did is very cool. I think is is disgusting how much trash we throw away day after day, but we can make a difference.” Lauren: Lots of trash, especially plastic bottles, go to landfills, dumps and other places. We need to recycle and stop having trash go into oceans, streets, and other places where trash isn’t supposed to go.” Thomas: Today we put trash into a hole. We want to know what will happen to it. I wonder what will happen? Dante: I am very unhappy with people right now. We are trashing the world. The Sun Chip bags are biodegradable and their video says they disintegrate in 14 weeks. I can’t wait to see that! Haley: I know that some people don’t recycle. That’s why it’s good to do this project so we can find out what’s biodegradable and tell other people. I think that doing this will help our Earth.
This year, we have have garden buddies with Mrs. Stechschulte's class, and we looked for garden items A-Z, and almost found every letter. While we were doing that, we thought about the fact that there are so many natural, common things in the garden that we see a lot but never study. So, our class did quick studies, and some chose to do a power point presentation to share their new knowledge. You can watch them below.
Habitat Haikus In honor of Earth Day 2010, we went to the Barrington Habitat and garden to write nature haikus.
Lambs Ear soft with fuzz green and leafy all because you're coated with fuzz Andrew
Pointy pine needles, Ooey, gooey sap dripping, Anna
Oh, silver of grass, Shall we need to cut you down? refuse. Let it grow... Chaz
I hear birds chirping. In the morning habitat. And I see creatures. Curtis
Birds flying chirping Flowers blooming in the sun Plants growing with peace Drew
You Beautiful tree You're standing so tall, like me What more to think tree EJ
We want the habitat to be a natural place for us to explore and enjoy. We spend time there with our 5th grade friends from Mrs. Wilcox's class, and our garden buddies from Mrs. Stechschulte's class. Sometimes Mrs. Lupton structures "unstructured time" when we can choose to read, write, color, draw explore and/or observe.
The Dig was first discussed while we were in the habitat and of course, this is where The Dig takes place.The Dig
Mrs. Lupton and Mrs. Wilcox
5th grade Informal classes @ Barrington
A complex thinker...
Identifies and defines authentic problems and essential questions
*Essential question - How does change impact our world?
There’s a compost pile in the habitat garden. What is a compost pile?
Does anyone have a compost pile at home?
What do you put into a compost pile? What do you do with the stuff?
What does it mean to be “biodegradable”?
What things are really biodegradable? Just natural things?
How does this relate to garbage and landfills?
What are we throwing away every day and what is that doing to our earth? Do we have to throw away so much stuff?
Why doesn’t everyone recycle and try to help our Earth?
Collects, assesses and analyzes relevant information
The Dig: Why are we going to do this? What are we hoping to discover?
What do we need to document this process? Videographer, photographer, reporters, & diggers, and each time we will take turns.
What are we going to bury?
How often will we dig it up? When?
Where will we dig? Should we have different locations in sun and shade?
Predictions for October, November, again in the spring...will we see changes? What will we learn from changes and no changes?
What makes a change? Does it have to be a big change to be important?
What information will we get that helps us understand biodegradable and the effects on the environment?
How are we going to predict and document our changes?
Let’s find out more information about all of the items we buried.
Does Barrington use these items? Do we use them at home?
Small groups will research each item, we’ll share with each other, and then we will tell other people.
Proposes, explores and develops solutions
Do we need to make any changes for the second dig? What did we do right/wrong during the first dig?
Why do people and businesses use products that aren’t biodegradable?
Why are we using styrofoam trays during lunch in the cafeteria?
Is there a better solution?
Why doesn’t Barrington buy a dishwasher and wash plates every day so we can use the same plates every day?
Washing dishes - cost of machines, plates, and energy.
Washing permanent dishes vs. about 138 styrofoam dishes each day, what would be less expensive and/or better for the environment?
If we have to use the styrofoam in the cafeteria, can we reuse them in some way?
What else can we do to recycle at Barrington?
Let’s explore other recycling programs, like the Capri Sun program.
Makes judgments and decisions
Why isn’t everyone going green? What are some reasons some people might not recycle? Why are green products so expensive?
Sun Chips is going back to their original bags and only using biodegradable bags for their original flavor. The company has received too many complaints that the biodegradable bag is too noisy.
Should we write the company and tell them to stay green? Should we tell everyone we know to write them too? Let’s show them the video on the Sun Chips website.
Do we need to inform and educate people?
Reflects critically on learning experiences, processes and solutions.
How can we make a difference? Where do we start at Barrington?
How can we let people know that there are ways we can make changes that will help? How do we inform and educate the kids and parents at Barrington? Let’s involve Student Council so more kids can help.
We are now working on a keynote presentation to present to other Barrington students and maybe the parents. We will include videos and pictures from each of our digs.
In Science journals, the students are keeping a chart of their predictions and reflections.
Quotes after The Dig:
Ruby: We’re doing this to see how landfills fill up with so much trash, to see how bad trash is for our Earth. We’re doing something great for our Earth.”
Dominic: “I felt like a scientist. I had to make a prediction. I had fun.
I hope to see a change.”
Claire: “I’m overall really excited to dig up all the trash we buried so we can see what happened. I hope everything is gone, because then we would have made dirt.”
Hannah: “I think that most of the objects that we are putting in the ground will change by spring. Some of the stuff is biodegradable so I’m pretty sure it will disintegrate. I am excited to see what will happen to trash.”
Vivi: I think all trash will change except for the grocery bag. I am excited to see what will happen next.”
Dom: I thought what we did is very cool. I think is is disgusting how much trash we throw away day after day, but we can make a difference.”
Lauren: Lots of trash, especially plastic bottles, go to landfills, dumps and other places. We need to recycle and stop having trash go into oceans, streets, and other places where trash isn’t supposed to go.”
Thomas: Today we put trash into a hole. We want to know what will happen to it. I wonder what will happen?
Dante: I am very unhappy with people right now. We are trashing the world. The Sun Chip bags are biodegradable and their video says they disintegrate in 14 weeks. I can’t wait to see that!
Haley: I know that some people don’t recycle. That’s why it’s good to do this project so we can find out what’s biodegradable and tell other people. I think that doing this will help our Earth.
This year, we have have garden buddies with Mrs. Stechschulte's class, and we looked for garden items A-Z, and almost found every letter. While we were doing that, we thought about the fact that there are so many natural, common things in the garden that we see a lot but never study. So, our class did quick studies, and some chose to do a power point presentation to share their new knowledge. You can watch them below.
Habitat Haikus
In honor of Earth Day 2010, we went to the Barrington Habitat and garden to write nature haikus.
Lambs Ear soft with fuzz
green and leafy all because
you're coated with fuzz
Andrew
Pointy pine needles,
Ooey, gooey sap dripping,
Anna
Oh, silver of grass,
Shall we need to cut you down?
refuse. Let it grow...
Chaz
I hear birds chirping.
In the morning habitat.
And I see creatures.
Curtis
Birds flying chirping
Flowers blooming in the sun
Plants growing with peace
Drew
You Beautiful tree
You're standing so tall, like me
What more to think tree
EJ